Police recommend charges against Andre Babis

DrPolice in the Czech Republic closed their investigations of Prime Minister Andrzej Babis and recommended accusations. A spokesman for the investigating authority announced on Monday in Prague whether or not this should be decided by the prosecutor. The so-called stork’s nest case revolves around alleged fraud when receiving EU subsidies. According to the information, the investigation files contain more than 34,000 pages.

Babis is accused of sneaking in to finance the construction of the “Storchennest” spa in 2008, amounting to roughly two million euros. The money was intended for small and medium enterprises. But Babis was at the head of a group of companies that included nearly 200 companies in the agricultural, food and chemical industries. And he himself has repeatedly stated that he has not broken any laws. Meanwhile, the money was repaid to the state.

In the Czech Republic, a new parliament will be elected in early October. According to a survey by CT Broadcasting Corporation, populist ANO von Babis will only land in third place. He would get 19.4 percent of the vote – behind a coalition of hacker parties and mayors at 27 percent and the conservative group Spolo (together) at 20.7 percent.